Letters to the editor, June 11, 2004

I’m calling to thank the city of Greeley for continuing to have Neighborhood Nights at Anna Gimmestad Park. Anna loved to go to that park as much as she could, and it’s nice to see the park being used for what it should be — a healthy place for family and friends to get together and spend time together.

Our Gimmestad families continue to use Anna Gimmestad Park, whether it be to play on the playground with our kids, to play on the grass or to use the gazebo for family birthdays and holidays.

COREY GIMMESTAD

Greeley

Reagan destroyed lots of lives here and in the world

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Are you mourning the passing of Ronald Reagan? I know that I’m not.

Reagan ruined millions of lives, and thousands were killed because of him. He doesn’t deserve all the praise he is receiving.

We can thank him for arming Osama bin Laden and helping to create the Taliban. He did this by aiding the Muslims to fight the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, and then abandoning them after they achieved their goal. He armed Saddam Hussein in his fight against Iran, even after Saddam gassed his own people. His crimes against the Nicaraguan people killed more than 10,000 innocent civilians.

Thanks to Reagan, America was the only nation ever to be condemned by the World Court for acts of state-sponsored terrorism in 1986.

That’s just what he did for the rest of the world. Now let’s look to America.

We can thank him for turning America into the world’s jailer, with the highest rate of incarceration in the world. His war on minorities — oops, I mean drugs — has destroyed millions of lives with its unjust mandatory minimum sentences. His economic policies help put more than a million Americans on the street. I could go on and on.

It just makes me sick how the press is lionizing him.

ALVIN MILLER

Greeley

People ignore importance of our servicemen and women

The dictionary describes Memorial Day as “last Monday in May or formerly May 30, observed as a legal holiday in commemoration of dead servicemen.”

Twenty-three years ago, I wrote a letter to the editor and spoke my piece. Well, I am writing again. We are not any more-appreciative of the past deeds of our fallen comrades than we were when I wrote before.

It is too bad it takes a mass tragedy to instill patriotism and our respect for the men and women who have given their all for our freedoms. It is too bad that shortly thereafter, the spirit moves on and our gratitude is short-lived.

I estimated approximately 100 people in attendance for the Memorial Day services at the cemetery in Windsor. This is a very poor turnout for our thriving town.

Here we are again with another “holiday.” It’s just another day off. Well, not to me.

I am proud of my forefathers and all the servicemen. They have given of their time and their love of country to serve. I am also thankful for the families of these servicemen who gave of their time, their material items they donated and did without for the servicemen who have helped keep us free.

Unlike many of the next generation:

I will stand in respect to my flag and my country.

I will take my cap off when saluting the flag of our nation.

I will bow my head when prayer is given.

I will proudly say the Pledge of Allegiance

I will thank a veteran for his or her time and effort and never forget their sacrifices.

I will salute the servicemen past and present who give us the opportunity to enjoy all the freedoms we have.

Thank you to the men of past and present service for the help in putting on this year’s Memorial Day services. They are to be commended.

TIMOTHY A. BERNHARDT

Windsor

EDITOR’S NOTE: Timothy A. Bernhardt is a past commander of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars as well as a life member of the VFW and Disabled American Veterans.